H Class in 1961/62
Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31177 on the stock of the Westerham Branch line train at Sevenoaks on 3rd June 1961 Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31518 and D1 class 4-4-0 number 31739 on Westerham Branch line trains at Dunton Green on 28th October 1961, the last day of operation of the branch line to Westerham
Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31522 entering Hurst Green station with a train from Tunbridge Wells West to Oxted, circa April 1962 Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco in the bay platform At Oxted waiting on a train to either Tunbridge Wells West or East Grinstead, circa April 1962
I'm pleased that I spent quite a lot of time photographing the H class 0-4-4tanks in the early 1960s. Virtually all with my Balda Camera, so the results today are quite reasonable. A lot of them were taken in April 1962 during the Easter school holidays. Other than knowing that I have no easy way of dating those, (the majority), where a specific date, (and location), was written on the back of the original enprint.


Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31177 on the stock of the Westerham Branch line train at Sevenoaks on 3rd June 1961 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31177 on the stock of the Westerham Branch line train at Sevenoaks on 3rd June 1961.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31518 and D1 class 4-4-0 number 31739 on Westerham Branch line trains at Dunton Green on 28th October 1961, the last day of operation of the branch line to Westerham H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31518 and D1 class 4-4-0 number 31739 on Westerham Branch line trains at Dunton Green on 28th October 1961, the last day of operation of the branch line to Westerham.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31518 on a Westerham Branch line train at Dunton Green on 28th October 1961, the last day of operation of the branch line to Westerham H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31518 on a Westerham Branch line train at Dunton Green on 28th October 1961, the last day of operation of the branch line to Westerham.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31521near Tunbridge Wells West with an Oxted train, 19th April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31521 near Tunbridge Wells West with an Oxted train, 19th April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 near Edenbridge with a Tunbridge Wells West-Oxted line train on 19th April 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 near Edenbridge with a Tunbridge Wells West-Oxted line train
on 19th April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31278 entering Hurst Green with a Tunbridge Wells West to Oxted train on 26th April 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31278 entering Hurst Green with a Tunbridge Wells West to Oxted train
on 26th April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number  leaving Hurst Green with an Oxted to Tunbridge Wells West train on 26th April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number leaving Hurst Green with an Oxted to Tunbridge Wells West train on 26th April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31278 in the bay platform at Oxted with a push-pull train on 26th April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31278 in the bay platform at Oxted with a push-pull train on 26th April 1962

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31543 in the bay platform at Oxted, circa April 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31543 in the bay platform at Oxted, circa April 1962

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 arriving at Oxted in April 1962 with a train from Tunbridge Wells West H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 arriving at Oxted in April 1962 with a train from Tunbridge Wells West.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 after running round the stock of the train it had recently hauled in from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 after running round the stock of the train it had recently hauled in from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 shunting into the down platform after running round the stock of the train it had recently hauled in from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 shunting into the down platform after running round the stock of the train it had recently hauled in from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31533 just after taking water at Oxted whilst working services to and from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31533 just after taking water at Oxted whilst working services to and from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco in the bay platform at Oxted as BR class4 2-6-4 tank number 80144 arrives with a London to Brighton train, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco in the bay platform at Oxted as BR class 4 2-6-4 tank number 80144 arrives with a London to Brighton train, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31533 departs the bay platform at Oxted with a train to Tinbridge Wells West, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31533 departs the bay platform at Oxted with a train to Tonbridge Wells West, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31551 in the bay platform at Oxted as a W class 2-6-4 tank heads through in the London direction with a very short goods train, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31551 in the bay platform at Oxted as a W class 2-6-4 tank heads through in the London direction with a very short goods train, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31521 in the up platform at Oxted after arriving from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31521 in the up platform at Oxted after arriving from Tunbridge Wells West, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco arriving at Groombridge with a Tunbridge Wells to Oxted train,  and crossing what seems to be a U class 2-6-0 on a Brighton to Tonbridge train,  circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco arriving at Groombridge with a Tunbridge Wells to Oxted train, and crossing what seems to be a U class 2-6-0 on a Brighton to Tonbridge train, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31533 arriving
at Oxted from the South, circa April 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31533 arriving
at Oxted from the South, circa April 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31263 shunting stock at Oxted, circa April 1962 H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31263 shunting stock at Oxted, circa April 1962.

Photo of an H class 0-4-4 tank loco taking water in the bay platform at Oxted, 1962
An H class 0-4-4 tank loco taking water in the bay platform at Oxted, 1962

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31522 arriving at Hurst Green in a Tunbridge Wells West to Oxted train in 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31522 arriving at Hurst Green on a Tunbridge Wells West to Oxted train in 1962

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31551at an unidentified location, (possibly Edenbridge Town),   on the Oxted line system in 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31551 at, possibly, Edenbridge Town, on the Oxted line system in 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31278 at Groombridge with an Oxted to Tunbridge Wells train in 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31278 at Groombridge with an Oxted to Tunbridge Wells train in 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31522 leaving Cowden with a train to Oxted in 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31522 leaving Cowden with a train to Oxted in 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 at Hurst Green with a down train to Tunbridge Wells in 1962
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31324 at Hurst Green with a down train to Tunbridge Wells in 1962.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31005 probably just South of Hurst Green,  in Feb/March 1963
H class 0-4-4 tank loco number 31005 probably just South of Hurst Green, in Feb/March 1963.

Photo of an  H class 0-4-4 tank probably just South of Hurst Green,  in Feb/March 1963
An H class 0-4-4 tank loco probably just South of Hurst Green, in Feb/March 1963.

Photo of an  H class 0-4-4 tank probably just South of Hurst Green,  in Feb/March 1963
Photo of an H class 0-4-4 tank probably just South of Hurst Green, in Feb/March 1963.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco 31263 at the Bluebell Railway in 1980-1981
31263, a working example of one of these loco survives. I photographed it in 1980-1981
on the Bluebell Railway, where it has now been out of service for some years.

Photo of H class 0-4-4 tank loco 31263 at the Bluebell Railway in 1980-1981
The good news is that the overhaul of this loco on the Bluebell Railway is nearing completion,
meaning that, if all goes to plan, it will be possible to see it in action again during 2011.


SR 1960s steam photos index